Victim sexually assaulted in his campervan

A 28-YEAR-OLD man broke into a campervan and performed oral sex on one of the male occupants, the Hervey Bay District Court heard on Tuesday.

Lewis Lindsay West pleaded guilty in the Hervey Bay District Court to sexual assault with aggravation and burglary.

The court heard the victim was on holiday in Hervey Bay on January 24 this year when West entered their campervan about 4am and began to perform oral sex on the man, who was not known to him, while the victim was asleep.

Crown prosecutor Chris Cook said the victim awoke and at first thought it was his girlfriend performing the act.

"(The victim) was really scared at first and then he felt quite angry," Mr Cook said.

Mr Cook said the victim chased down West and punched him in the face, briefly knocking him unconscious.

The court heard West's DNA was found on the victim, as well as his mobile phone at the scene. West was found by police in the area not long after the incident.

Mr Cook said the victim, who was 28 at the time of the assault, had suffered significantly since the incident.

"After the incident the complainant didn't want to leave his house and as a result lost his job," Mr Cook said. "He has difficulty sleeping at night and is ashamed of this incident and about any public exposure."

Defence barrister Patrick Wilson said West had a long standing problem with alcohol and was intoxicated on the night of the assault.

"He was bewildered by his actions," Mr Wilson said.

Judge Helen Bowskill sentenced West to three years in prison with parole eligibility after one year.